A variety of systems may employ data visualization techniques to represent large amounts of data on a display. For example, data analysis systems, monitoring system, and design systems may employ data visualization techniques. Examples of data visualization techniques include the construction of bar graphs, pie charts, and pixel-oriented graphs.
A pixel-oriented graph may be used to provide a visual representation of large amounts of data in a relatively small area of a display. For example, each pixel in a pixel-oriented graph may be used to represent a corresponding data value. This may enable the representation of large numbers for data values in a relatively small area of a display given the very small display area taken up by a pixel. For example, a 100 by 100 pixel area of a display may be used to depict up to 10,000 data values. The magnitude of a data value in a pixel-oriented graph may be indicated by the color of the pixel. Examples of pixel-oriented graphs include pixel bar charts, spiral graphs, and circle segments.
Unfortunately, prior pixel-oriented graphs such as spiral graphs, circle segments, and pixel bar charts may show only data distributions, patterns, and trends without aggregate information. Examples of aggregate information include average, median or threshold values associated with the data depicted in the graph. Without aggregate information, prior pixel-oriented graphs lack may lack the utility of traditional bar charts that include aggregate information.